


"Some Princes don't Become Kings"

by Oliver_Shadow_21



Category: Alternative Universe- Medieval- Fandom, Fantasy - Fandom, Medieval - Fandom
Genre: Alternative Universe - Medieval, Blood, Castles, Curses, Dark Magic, Darkness, Fighting, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Medieval, Princes, Shadows - Freeform, War, battles
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 07:55:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14540190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver_Shadow_21/pseuds/Oliver_Shadow_21
Summary: A year after “The Missing Piece”. Even though the light has filled up the world, Shadow still creeps in underneath, waiting for the perfect moment to erupt. Nick still struggles on his thoughts of becoming a true knight for the kingdom of Cardiff, he starts to learn something deep inside of him that he’s been holding for years. Could these two possibly connect with each other? If so, what would happen if Jake, Prince of Cardiff found out the real truth?Note: The title of the story is a lyric from the song "Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea" by Fall Out Boy "M A N I A" (Check out the album if you haven't already, it's awesome!!)





	1. Chapter 1

_(Jake's POV)_

It's been a year since I've come back to my home and I couldn't be happier with how everything has been going. I'm with my family again who support me and love me for who I've become, and my knight in shining armor was always with me. Our love has grown so much since we've first met, we've learned so much about each other as if we've known one another for centuries.

That's why when I got up this morning and noticed that Nick wasn't with me, it didn't feel right. Sure he must've had to go out for his duties but even then he would've left a note or something. Besides, he's the one who usually sleeps in later than I do! Puzzled by his disappearance, I slowly got out of bed and stretched my muscles before doing my morning daily routine. As I was working on my morning chores, I glanced up at the clock, seeing that it was around 8 a.m. Nick definitely doesn't wake up that early! Sighing deeply, I washed my hands and face before getting dressed and getting ready for the day. I sure hope he is alright, I thought to myself, trying to bring some light into the perplexed mood.

As I walked downstairs and down towards the hallway, I heard happy voices echoing through, making me hope that my lover was among the joy. But once I got to the location, the dining room, I found out that it was only my parents. Not that was a bad thing, but my curiosity deepened. I took a deep sigh as my presents appeared towards my parents.

“Good morning dear.” my mother announced but paused as she saw my emotion. “Why so gloomy on this new day?” she asked in a concerning manner, slowly walking up towards me.

I glanced up and shrugged. “I just thought I would see Nick here, he wasn’t with me when I woke up,” I told her, still disappointed.

Both of my parents shared a glance towards each other.

“Well, we did see him this morning outside in the garden. Strangely enough, the sun was just rising, but I’m sure he’s still there.” my father confronted, which made my head perk up.

“Really? All alone?” I questioned, wondering why my lover was being so distant all of a sudden. My parents just slowly nodded their heads, still worried about the situation.

Taking a deep breath, I thanked them for the information and started to walk back down the hallway and towards the outside. My mind was still swirling with questions that I wanted to ask Nick but I know that I should wait until it was the right time to ask those.

Once I got outside, I could feel the warm summer air that heated up my body. It felt very refreshing indeed. Glancing around, I tried to spot Nick in the distance but nothing came to view. _‘Hmm…’_ I thought as I gradually walked down the steps and onto the land. Turning my head in every direction as I wandered through the yard, my heart started to increase, afraid of what has happened to my dear knight. _‘I hope he’s alright, something must have set him off for him to hide away like this.’_ remembering that this has happened before.

As I continued my search, I eventually made my way towards the front of the castle. Still curiously looking around, my eyes guided up to the front entrance where I finally saw him leaning against the railings of the small fence that wrapped around the platform. My heart finally calmed down but even though I was at distance, I could tell that he was distressed. Slowly making my way towards him, my nerves started to get to me. But why? I shouldn’t be so nervous in approaching my lover but I still felt as if something unsettling was about to happen if I do. Shaking my head, I took a deep breath to gain some confidence as I walked next to him. 

“Nick?” I whispered so I wouldn’t startle him. His eyes slowly shifted towards mine for a split second before returning to their original place, still fogged with sorrow. 

I moved closer to him to hopefully comfort him some more, slowly bringing my arm on him and stoking along the side. Instantly I felt the tension in his muscles, something must be on his nerves, which was usually everything.

Letting the silence pass through us, Nick’s breathing went deep for a moment, but I could distinctly hear the unevenness of it, putting me more on edge. 

“Is… everything okay?” I managed to ask, unsure if now was the right time. 

This was one of the many moments where I wish I could read minds, just to get a sense of what my lover was thinking of. I’ve seen him cold before, but not like this. This was definitely different than when we first met. 

It took him awhile to answer as he slowly relaxed his features and turned his head towards me. I was patient enough for him to start.

“Of course,” he replied, giving a small grin but something else was there. I tried to find that “something” in his response but it was gone too quickly. 

So I just smiled back at him, holding his hand firmly with mine. Everything was going to be okay, as long as we were still together, that’s what he kept telling me.

But, when I met his eyes, they were suddenly hard to read, which he was always good at doing. Clouding his emotions. I still tried to find something in them though, something that could help me figure out more of what he was thinking. But his eyes shifted too fast for me to really understand his feelings. 

As he turned and walked away, I could still feel his tension, as if he was still holding his guard up. But for what? I really wanted to ask him, but now wasn’t the time. If not now, when? Would it be too late to ask? My mind was really having trouble with trying to confront about this. Nevertheless, I remained quiet for the sake of not stressing out my knight even more. But I didn’t like where this was going, for him to brush this off like it was nothing. Whatever was bothering him, we’ll get through together, just like we always have.

—————————————————————————————-

_(Nick’s POV)_

I should be happy, glad to be alive. Happy to be safe in this brand new kingdom with the love of my life. Then why the hell was I on edge unexpectedly? I didn’t know what, but something was still making me tense, making me feel an unbearable sickness that I had to chase after. But Jake couldn’t know. Not at all. If he’d find out… He just couldn’t. 

The cloud over my emotions was fading, but I still stayed cold. I couldn’t break it, as much as I wanted to rest and let go of it all. I was exhausted, especially from the previous events but there was never a break, not now. Even though I’ve made a successful achievement by bringing my prince back home, there was something else on its way, there always was.

Once we made our way back into the castle walls, I knew Jake wanted to stay with me. As much as I loved his company, there was something I had to do, alone. Just for a couple of days, that’s all I needed. In perfect timing, Jake was summoned by his mother to do his royal chores. It was understandable why he didn’t like them, I would’ve probably had the same attitude as he does if I were in his position. But for now, this was a perfect time to ask for my request. After we exchanged a simple kiss before Jake’s departure to the library, I slowly made my way towards the throne room. My nerves were still on edge, with my heart racing and pounding inside of my chest. Why was I so afraid to confront towards the King again? Maybe because I felt like I was betraying them, leaving so suddenly. But I had to, my mind was telling me, and I didn’t want to argue with it again.

As I made my entrance into the spacious room, the marble floor against my feet felt as if they were trying to hold me back. _This was a mistake,_ they whispered. _Go back to the one you love and care for them, as you should be doing._ I knew they were right but my heart and mind continued to pull me forward towards the King, anxiously waiting to summon my request. I stood before him, glancing at the mural (which was of a golden tree, with its roots spread out, turning into dragons) behind him as I impatiently waited for him to notice my presence. After he dismissed his guards, King Aleksander’s eyes slowly shifted up to meet with mine. His lit up, as mine remained clouded. 

“Nicholas, how long have you been waiting there? You are sure a quiet one,” he announced. Even though my patience was long gone, I remained calm and just shook my head.

“Don’t worry, my King, I was patient enough to wait,” I replied, bowing my head towards him. _‘Now if we could move this along quickly.’_ my mind was getting fussy.

“I could see that. Now, what is it that you came here for?” I was glad that King Aleksander was noble, not too pushy or stern about anything. 

I gathered my thoughts wisely as I stepped forward closer towards the throne and kneeled down, as a knight should do for his king.

“I have a request that is important to me your Majesty.” I started to say but paused to glance up at him, waiting for him to let me continue, which he did with a small nod.

Taking a deep breath, I continued. “I have to leave, just for a few days. There is somewhere I must go that is outside of the kingdom walls.” The hairs on my back began to crawl with nervousness.

I glanced up once more to see the King’s face puzzled, his brows facing forward.

“All of a sudden?” he questioned. I knew he was surprised by this timing, but I had to get it done, fast.

Standing up slowly, I kept my gaze on him. 

“Yes sir, if it’s no trouble. It’ll only be a couple of days.” I reminded him, feeling my temper on edge.

Once I heard his deep sigh, I knew that I hurt not only the family but Jake as well. But he must not know about this.

“If you truly know that this is your path to go on, then I shouldn’t be in the way of it Knight Nick. Your request is granted.” the King announced, letting my body at ease for now.

“Thank you King Aleksander. And if I may ask, not to tell Jake any of this.” my tone became dark, unnoticeable.

Knowing that his son would be in shock to know that his knight would be leaving, the King understood, as he slowly nodded his head. 

“I understand. This will just be between us.” he rose from his throne and slowly made its way towards me. My nerves were back in my system, making me feel quite uneasy.

As my thoughts piled up in my head, I didn’t even notice Aleksander’s firm hands on my shoulders, making me jump slightly. When I met his eyes, I had to swallow my anxiety deeply.

“Whatever you have to do on your journey Nick, just know that you this will always be your home,” he told me, softly.

I nodded and gave him a small smile. But in my mind and heart, I knew that I was betraying them, all of them. Was it really worth it? For that sake of Jake’s life, the King’s and Queen’s lives and everyone here in Cardiff? It had to be, or else I was a real traitor. 


	2. Chapter 2

_(Nick’s POV)_

Just after sundown, that’s when I have to leave. Luckily, the day was going by quickly, so I just had enough time to spend it with Jake before my journey. Of course, I kept to myself for most of the hour, to pretend that everything was going to be alright. 

When we met up with each other again, we took a stroll through the castle, like we always do. He did most of the talking, which he was good at doing. I remained silent, pretending to listen, but only really listening to my own thoughts that were telling me to leave. But I was training it to be patient like all good things should be. ‘Good? What do I know about being good since I’ll be leaving the one I love any minute?’ I shook my head, trying to not think of that now and drew my attention back to Jake.

“…and so now I have to go train with them tomorrow morning. Not that I don’t want to, but it’s just, not my thing.” I could hear his grumbling, already becoming annoyed. _‘Odd, he’s never complained like this before’_ I thought to myself before sighing a deep breath.

“It’s only for your protection,” I replied faintly, but he’s heard that before.

“But that’s why I have you, to protect me!” he looked up at me with determined eyes. I glared down at him, rather surprised by his answer. 

It took him a moment to realize that he just said and embarrassingly glanced away. “Not saying that’s the only reason why you’re here…” he mumbled, with his eyes still of annoyance. 

I knew how he gets, with his attitude, so I let it pass. He must be stress with all of his “duties” as a prince.

“Jake, just because I’m your protector now, doesn’t mean that you can’t learn how to fight. In some cases, I won’t be around you and you have to protect yourself.” I told him as if I were his teacher. I heard him sigh deeply, knowing that he was clearly upset by this.

My feet stopped as I turned to face him, holding his hands firmly in mine.

“I remembered when the pirates told me about how you fought on the ship. I was astonished and proud when I realized how good you really were. Why don’t you want to practice that skill?” I asked him, trying to boost his confidence up.

He shrugged, still trying to avoid eye contact. “I just don’t feel like myself when I have to fight,” he told me, his tone was of a soft disappointment.

Slowly I brought my hand up towards his face and gently on his cheek, stroking it softly to comfort him. I watched his eyes as they gradually met with mine, bringing me back to when we first met. Those sorrowful eyes have seen so much that I could still see the fear holding him back. That’s what made me lean in towards him and kiss his lips. I didn’t want him to be afraid anymore, even though I knew that I was. Afraid of what he might think of me after all of what’s going to happen, or what I might think would happen. As I felt him kiss back, all I wanted to do was pause at this moment in time and stay like this forever. To be with the one I love, to not betray him, but it was never that simple. There was always something else to tear us apart. 

We separated the kiss and after a moment of silence, I watched his smile return on his face, making my heart warm again. 

“You’ll be fine, trust me,” I told him, giving him a small smile of my own.

“Thank you, Nick,” he whispered to me as he gently laid his head on my chest. My arms automatically wrapped around him to hold him close.

I loved him, from the very beginning when I saw his eyes. I was grateful for how far we’ve come, but there was always more. I still didn’t know what, but it felt as if it were to change everything we know about one another. That’s what scared me the most, to know that I could lose everything that I’ve gained, in a split second.

———————————————————————————————————————-

After our stroll through the castle, I noticed Jake was becoming lethargic. He laid his head on my shoulder as we continued walking, with his eyes desperately trying to stay open. I couldn’t help but chuckle from delight. I knew how tired he was, so I’d offer to carry him to his room. At first, he was denied his tiredness, but from the way he was acting, like a stubborn child, he gave up and let me carry him. He was so light and small, it was as if I was carrying nothing. When I glanced down at him and studied his captivating features, I could easily feel my heart creaking from the seams. _‘Why now? Why the hell did this have to happen now?’_ I asked my mind, but there was no answer. I tried to remain calm, but inside I was crying and yelling at myself for what I had to do.

As I made it to his room, I quietly walked over to his bed and gently laid him down. He was so peaceful once he became more comfortable in the softness of the sheets and blanket. Before my heart could crack one more time, I swiftly gave him a soft kiss on his head and hurried out the room quietly, closing the door behind me. The moment I knew it was all quiet, I tried my hardest not to burst into tears. I hated myself for doing this, for leaving him so suddenly. But it had to be done, I couldn’t wait much longer. 

Once I collected myself momentarily, I made my way downstairs, through the hallways and out the back door towards the stables. As I quickly grabbed the essential items I needed and a dark cloak to hide my identity, just to make sure no one knew that I was leaving. Getting to the stables, I cautiously opened the gates to let one of the stallions out. These royal horses were one of the best, thankfully I was allowed to use them occasionally. The horse that I was borrowing, a tall black stallion was obedient enough for me to walk it steadily towards the back of the fenced area. Quietly, I opened the gate that led out towards the fields and beyond the borders. After getting up onto my horse, I looked out towards where my heart was telling me to go. I took a deep breath, trying to calm down my anxiety and fears, knowing how long I would have to go to get to my destination. My head slowly began to look back at the royal castle, but I had to stop it. _‘Don’t look back, just move forward.’_ I told myself, shutting my eyes closed. With a deep breath, I looked up right in front of me, seeing the moon not yet high up in the sky. This was the perfect moment to leave. So with a gentle stroke on the stallion’s mane, we began to move but the feeling of betrayal in my heart began to grow. 


	3. Chapter 3

_(Nick’s POV)_

Riding in the dead of night when the snow and wind blew against us was not the smartest idea, especially since I didn’t prepare myself for the colder weather. I couldn’t tell if I was shivering from the cold or from my anxiety. But nevertheless, I had to keep moving, before the sun came up and they noticed that I was gone. Thankfully my steed was incredibly fast so we could get to my destination in no time. Oddly enough, my thoughts kept going back to Jake, as much as I tried to push them away.  _‘You’re losing him, losing all of them. After what you’ve done for them, you do this?!’_  my mind scolded me, I tried to shake it off though. My grip on the reigns tightened, as well as my chest. This was all too familiar.

That memory instantly popped into my head, making me want to turn back and run away. But I couldn’t, my body didn’t move, the steed was the only one who was moving. That only made my heart race more rapidly.  _‘Stop being afraid, coward!’_  my mind was upset. So I closed my eyes, trying to stay calm and focused on my slow breathing. But my breathing became short, realizing how cold it was getting and seeing the frost around me on the environment.  _‘I’m getting close, unfortunately.’_  I told myself, knowing that I was indeed still afraid coming back.

As I made my way through the familiar ruins, I gently got off of my horse and made our way on foot. But my legs were melting, even though it was still freezing out. Regardless, I continued my way towards the building that I used to call home, the place where I was first cursed. I could feel my chest burn with anger and sorrow, along with the memory when that damn metal made contact with me. My hand automatically pressed against my chest where it hurt the most, making me already miss Jake’s touch. But the moment I could feel those tear form in my eyes, I had to shake my head forcefully, my mood changing drastically as I tried to focus forward. _‘Don’t think about that now, you fool.’_  I told myself.

When I gradually glanced up at the scenery, I noticed that the church was closer than I’d thought. My heart stopped right then and there, with my fear taking over. This building was my hell, the beginning of my miserable journey as a scarred human. Everything they taught me, I sinned against it. Then why was my heart telling me to come here? I would never understand. Automatically, my legs began to move towards the building. As I carefully opened its doors, dust and snow escaped it’s closure and ran away from the rustic noises. Looking up, I could barely see the artwork on the walls but I knew well enough what they looked like. Christ and his angels were always looking at us and ready to judge the ones who deserved it. And I was the fool who they picked. Ironic though, they were supposed to love us, not betray or hurt us.  _‘Just like you’re doing.’_  my mind reminded me, putting a sting on my heart, making me shut my eyes from the truth.

But as I tried to open my eyes, they became blurry from the tears that I tried to hold back. I just had to let them out now, and that’s what I did. Crouching down in the middle of the room, my tears fell down my cold face that I could barely feel them. Why was I crying, from the truth that I was a traitor? Or from these painful memories that kept coming back to me? Whatever it was, it was destroying me. I got so caught up in my emotions that I didn’t notice the figure that formed in front of me until I felt a light touch on my head. Startled by the touch, my head gradually looked up to see what was in front of me, and once I did, my heart stopped entirely as my eyes widen.

She stood there above me, still in white and glowing from the snow that was falling. She was still gorgeous from when I first saw her, those many years ago. I’ve missed this angel who saved me, regardless of how the others treated me. But this angel knew how I was feeling, that’s why I had to come back home.

“My dearest boy, you’ve grown some I see,” she told me, with a smile that filled her soft skin. Her gentle hand gradually stroked my cheer, whipping away the wetness that had yet to freeze up.

Still, in shock, I just had to look into her eyes, hoping that she knew how I was feeling. And she did, as she could see my tears start to fall again, bringing me closer towards her by holding my head. I laid there against her body and cried out all of my emotions that I held in for so long. I was thankful to still have this motherly figure in my life, an escape from life itself.

Feeling her touch again on my back made me start to calm down, but my heart and mind were still racing each other. I held onto her clothing tightly, not wanting to let go, ever.

“I feel nothing but shame. What the hell is wrong with me?” I growled, mostly towards myself.

Unexpectedly, I was smacked on the top of his head, making him look up quickly. Once I saw her disapproved look, I knew that I messed up.

“Sorry…” I apologized under my breath, remembering my foul language. My head was lifted up, meeting those eyes again.

“Nick, you’ve come so long. I’ve watched you save that young prince and the battles you’ve faced. You are still brave enough to get through whatever you’re facing now. I know you are, my dear.” she told me, just as if Jake was talking to me.

My heart became very heavy all of a sudden, making it hard to breathe but I took a deep one slowly to calm down.

“…There’s something coming though, something unimaginable. I kept seeing it in my dreams. It gets worse every night. What do you think it could be?” I asked her, hoping that she could give me some clue onto what could possibly happen in the near future.

After a moment of looking into my eyes, she started to stand up slowly, bringing me along with her. My eyes were still in awe, drawn to her.

“My dear, you were taught to follow your dreams in the face of God. But now these dreams are signs of the future, so listen to them carefully,” she told me, in her tender voice that I’ve been craving.

Bringing me close once more, she gave me another soft kiss on the head, telling me that it’ll be okay, everything will be okay. And that’s all I needed to hear.

We looked at each other once more before I noticed her beginning to fade, which made me start to panic.

“But-!” I tried to speak but nothing came out, it kept pulling me back.

“It’ll be alright, Nick. Just listen to them carefully.” said told me before completely vanishing from my sight. Silence followed right behind her.

I was there, standing alone as the snow fell, trying to collect my thoughts. Even though the answer only made my emotions more mixed up, it was better than still being lost. As I tried to come back to my senses, I noticed something in my hand. Glancing down, I opened up my fist to see a small cross, with the Devil’s wings on it and rope tied from the bottom.  _‘I guess I really do deserve this…’_  I thought to myself, putting the item in my pocket. I took a deep breath once again and I started to walk away from the quiet room. Now that my mind was more clear than it was as this morning, I felt lighter surprisingly.

As I got back onto my horse, I gave one more glance at the place where I’ll always call home, no matter how painful it was to go back.

 _‘…listen to them carefully.’_  I repeated to myself. Fear started to rise but I couldn’t let that distract me. So with a soft tug on the reigns on my horse, we began our way back to my prince.

————————————————————————————-

_(Third person POV)_

She reappeared once the knight was far gone. Her smile was still on her face until she was aware of what was forming behind her.

“He finally came back, didn’t he? What a coward.” the voice spoke, in a dark tone.

Just as the angel began to look behind her, all was too quick with the flames already rose from the ground. Her screams were too quiet for anyone to hear in the distance.

But as Nick continued to ride out onto the snow, he noticed something odd about the air. Mixed with the snow was small flakes of… ashes. The knight’s eyes widen once he realized what that meant. Suddenly turning his horse around, he looked back at the church where he was raised up in. His eyes swelled up as the red and orange flames reflected on them. Without thinking, he thrashed on the reigns of his horse to head back towards his first destination.

Even though Nick was still feeling fearful to his stomach, this was a different sickness. Once they were close enough towards the fire, his horse began to squeal, making Nick tried to calm it down. Luckily the animal did quickly but Nick jumped off and tried to run closer towards the fire but it’s flames were too big, as if they just started. Nick’s heart was pounding in his chest, from the same fear and worry. As his eyes tried to skim through the smoke around them, this image before him became too familiar. Before he noticed the familiarity, the smoke got caught up in his throat that he had to cough it out, trying to get more breath but the air was too short. His vision started to become foggy, making it more difficult to realize what was going on around him. His steed quickly ran up towards his master, to help him up. Knowing how dangerous this could become, Nick immediately got back onto the horse and they were out before the walls crumbled below. He didn’t dare look back, he couldn’t. As he closed his eyes shut, the images of Ligero appeared in his mind, which made him shake his head frustratingly. ‘This can’t happen now, it just couldn’t!’ he told himself, worried about what the future could hold after seeing the many troubles it’s been causing.

Nevertheless, they continued to ride forward, back towards Nick’s only home. Although he found some of the answers he was looking for, Nick still felt the heartbreak inside of him just as if it never left him. Why was this happening? He wanted to know. Feeling the item in his pocket, Nick took out the necklace that he found before. He studied its features for a moment before putting it back in safe keeping. Something was coming, he knew it, and she confirmed it. Whatever it was, he had to prepare not only himself but the rest of the Kingdom. Will they listen to him though, after what he’s done? There’s only one way to find out.

———————————————————————————————

By the time the knight got back to the castle, it was already sunrise. Just like before, he was beyond exhausted, emotionally and physically but he couldn’t go to sleep, especially what he saw.

As he silently rested by the stables, sitting on the steps nearby, his mind continued to wander, deep into his past. He didn’t want to go back there, to reveal those memories, but he was too tired to fight back. Even some of his emotions started to fall through. Nick was so focused that he didn’t notice the Queen watching him with questionable eyes.

As she made her way towards him, he felt a familiar touch on his shoulder, making him look up in surprise. But once he realized that it was only her, he relaxed and glanced down again. Kelsey noticed something was on his mind, so she gently sat down next to the knight and patiently waited for him to comfortably speak up.

Even though it took some time to have to courage to talk, Nick knew that it was a good thing to do.

“I watched my mother die when I was a child and felt nothing. Now I just saw my guardian angel burn into flames and felt everything but happiness,” he said in an unsteady tone as if he was going to break down again, but he tried his best to remain calm.

Kelsey looked over at the knight, and even though she didn’t know the contents of the story, she knew that Nick was in deep sorrow. So she gently leaned over and wrapped her arms around him, comforting him. That’s when Nick had to break down, covering his eyes with his hands. This just happened with him and the one he used to call ‘mother’. But now she was gone, just like everyone else was going to be.

“I don’t want to lose everything that I’ve gained…” he whispered, mainly towards himself but the Queen distinctly heard it as well.

“Nicholas, I promise you, you won’t lose everything. Your home is here, with us. We’re going to protect it, just like you protect my son, Jake.” Kelsey told him. These words were similar to the ones where his Angel told him. Maybe his heart was telling him the truth.

But Nick couldn’t stop his emotions, they just kept coming through. The Queen held him as if he was also her child in need. They stayed there as the sun rose further up into the sky. Nick should’ve been happy to be in a place where he could still call home, but all he could feel was sadness and anger, piling up inside his chest, making his heart still burn with pain.


	4. Chapter 4

_(Nick’s POV)_

The following morning was hard to wake up to, just like before. Not only were my emotions all mixed up, there was a massive headache erupting. _‘Just my luck…’_ I tried getting up ever so slowly, feeling my muscles ache. 

Once I got myself more relaxed, I noticed Jake wasn’t around, puzzled me for a moment. Then I remembered that he had the training to do. My curiosity grew as I managed to work on my morning routine before making my way to the courtyard. 

As I headed downstairs and towards the back door to the outside, my mind was still foggy from yesterday, but I could still feel my heart ache. I tried not to think about what happened but that painful image was forever implanted in my memory, just like the rest of them.

Gradually as I walked outside and near the training grounds, I could see from afar the King standing firm as he watched his son fight. I was excited to see how well Jake was doing in his training but to my disappointment, it looked like he wasn’t doing too well.

“Jacob, you can not lose your stance so easily, keep it up!” his father instructed him, noticing how poorly he was doing.

By the looks of it, Jake was already exhausted. I sighed, not from disappointment, but from irritation. He knows better than this, why isn’t he trying?!

Without realizing it, my blood was benign to boil. I stepped forward and walked past the King, who watched me in surprised. 

“Nick, what are you-?” But I didn’t let him finish.

As I came closer towards the fight, both Jake and his trainer slowed down once we met each other eyes. The trainer stepped back when I grabbed my own sword nearby.

“Nick, what do you think you’re doing?” Jake asked in his tone of annoyance, starting to glare at me. _Stubborn child…_ I thought.

I glared back at him as I swung my sword around to get the feeling back before striking right at my prince, who luckily blocked just in time. But I could see his surprised fear straight through him. His legs were shaking, along with his arms. 

“Why in bloody’s name are you doing this Nick?! I’m not fighting you!” my prince complained once more but that only made my anger grow.

My eyes grew deeper as I swung my sword at him again, this time with a little more force but my prince blocked it again. _Good._

Even some of the knights and trainers started to glance over at our direction. I could still notice Jake’s confusion, but that shouldn’t let him lose focus. So with a quick maneuver of the feet, I stepped closer towards my “target” to get a better hit. This unfortunately scared him more but blocked my attack just in time. He’s cutting it too close I told myself, trying to ease my anger.

I could still see how surprised he was, making him become fearful of me. _‘Not now Jake, please not right now.’_

“Jake, focus! You can do this!” I told him, trying to get him back into the game.

With another strike, he blocked it right away, good.

“Nick, I don’t want to fight you!” he told me, with fear still in his system. I could only sigh at this point.

“Don’t think about me, Jake! Think only about yourself!” I replied, trying not to let my anger get to me. _’You’re good at that.’_ I added to my thoughts.

He blocked another attack as our feet danced to the rhythm of the swords. As I continued to watch through his eyes, I could tell that he was getting more upset. _‘Anger will only make him lose control.’_ I thought as he attacked my sword. I felt some force on it, which meant we were getting somewhere.

With a quick glance towards the King, I couldn’t tell if he was upset with my interruption or glad that I’m teaching his son to fight better.

Nevertheless, I drew my eyes back to my love, who was becoming quite restless. This just couldn’t do anymore. 

So I stood firm, taking one step forward and forcefully grabbed Jake’s sword from the handle and pulled it towards me, but his grip was still surprisingly tough.

“Jake, let go, this is over!” I told him sternly, trying not to get too upset like he was.

The stubborn prince just shook his head. 

“That’s not fair, we have to finish this!” he whined. 

_‘Why was he being such a royal brat?!’_ I thought, glaring at him, but even then he didn’t fall back. Luckily his father stepped in.

“Jacob, that’s enough for today! I think-…” he began to say before the brat opened his mouth again.

“Just shut up, okay?! All of you!” he had the nerves to say. 

His father, a couple of the other knights and servants who were nearby gasped as my glare deepened towards my love. What is going on with him?

His eyes began to dart from place to place, with still fear in his system before finally tightening his grip on the sword, letting it go out of my hand and throwing it onto the ground. He then quickly turned around, breathing heavily and marched his way out of the training space. For a few moments, all I could do was stare at this person who changed right in front of me. Was he truly my love? He had to be. 

Before I could question anything else about his new behavior, I followed him out of the space and towards where ever he was going next but I kept my distance. 

He was still very tense in his shoulders and hands, balled up in fists. I took a breath to prepare myself for an attack if that were to happen. But the way smarter than this, I knew he was.

“Stop following me!” he shouted, I could hear his voice crack as if he were to have a meltdown any second.

“Jake, I’m only watching you for your safety,” I told him, glaring at him.

At first, he wanted to be with me all the time, now he wants me away. Make up your god damn mind Jake!

He stopped abruptly, making me stop from afar as well, still keeping my distance. What surprised me was to see his shoulders dip and start to shake. My eyes grew with concern. I could faintly hear his crying, making me feel guilty immediately. Ever so slowly, I started to walk closer towards my lover.

“Jake, it’s going to be al-..” I was about to tell him but he sharply turned around, with a face of anger. Sorrow was still marked on his face as well. 

“No, it’s not, Nick! Nothing is going to be alright!” he roared at me. I’m pretty sure everyone heard it. I backed up slightly to give him space, looking at him with a major concern.

_‘But… didn’t he just say yesterday…?’_ I tried to think back to my memories were still clouded.

His breathing was still heavy, from the anger that desperately wanted to get out. I had to be careful. 

“Why did you bother saving me from that tower, Nick?! You know how dangerous I can be!” he continued to shout.

What he was getting at, I had no clue, but I had to calm him down before he hurts himself or anyone else. So I gradually walked my way closer towards him, cautiously.

“Jake, just calm down. Remember how happy you were to get out of that place?” I reassured him, trying to calm him down.

But all of a sudden, I could see his tears pile up and start to run down his face quickly.

“But people died because of me! I hurt you and everyone around me! Mason is dead because of my escape!” his voice was cracking. 

It felt as if a dagger was implanted into my chest hearing the brave knight’s name again, but I couldn’t let my emotions get to me. So I took a breath and stepped forward but to my surprise, Jake stepped back, looking as if he was going to run away. 

“Jake, don’t think about that, look how far you’ve gone! Regardless, that doesn’t mean you have to give up. We have to still prepare ourselves for whats to come before it’s too late.” I told him, hoping not to give out too much to scare him.

As I watched him grow more tense with tears still rolling down his face. I just wanted to run up to him and hug him tightly in my arms, keeping him safe. But with how he was now, that could be a bad move.

His breathing was choppy, I patiently waited for him to calm down. It was understandable why he was upset, but why all of a sudden? It took him awhile to get back to his sense.

“Are… are you going to leave again Nick? Just like you did last night? But this time to never return because of me?” he asked quietly, fear taking over. 

That shocked me. Not only because he knew that I left the night before, but because he thought it was his fault. Before I could speak, I heard the jewels coming closer, knowing that his father was nearby. This was my time to hopefully relax.

“Jacob, what has gotten into you my son?” Aleksander asked sternly. 

My eyes were glued to the prince, seeing his fear take over again. This made my heart speed up. What was going on? 

He was terrified. So scared that once he realized where he was, he turned sharp and sprinted away from us. My eyes widen as I wanted so desperately to follow him but a firm grasp held me still. I glanced up to see Aleksander looking down at me and gave me a nod. 

“Just let him be. Best not talk to him now,” he said.

I drew my attention back to where my prince left, feeling my heart crack even more. Even though it wasn’t my fault, I felt incredibly guilty.

——————————————————————————————

_(Jake’s POV)_

What was going on with me? Why was I feeling so much anger towards the ones I love all of a sudden? I didn’t mean to snap at them. But inside I was boiling in anger that I just had to lock myself in my room before things got worst. 

Maybe Nick was right, we’ve gone so far to get here, but was it really worth it?

I had to cover my face with my hands suddenly before I burst into tears again. Luckily Sara, my small Persian cat that I got from my parents when I returned home, curled up near me as I occasionally rubbed her comfortable fur. It felt as if she were my only friend at this time, she didn’t get upset or expect too much from me. J _ust like Mason…_

Tears suddenly started to build up in my eyes again but I tried so hard not to let them fall. It was true what I said to Nick though. That brave knight risked his life and lost it because of me, because of my power. Now everyone was going to leave… 

Before I could let the tears fall out any second, I heard a faint knock on my door.

“Jacob, sweetie? Are you okay?” my mother’s voice made me at ease for a moment. 

When I didn’t answer because I was too caught up in my own thoughts, the door opened and before I knew it, my mother was sitting next to me on the bed. She could see my distress, making me feel a little bit more embarrassed. She gently reached over to wipe my tears away from my face.

“He’s mad at me, isn’t me? All of you are…” I whispered and buried my head in my arms before my cries came out again. 

I could feel her soft touch on top of my head and then a gentle squeeze on my palm.

“We’re not upset, darling. We’ve just haven’t seen you like this in a long time.” she softly replied, rubbing her thumb along my hand.

As much as she was trying to comfort me, my emotions were still going all over the place. Suddenly, my chest was getting tighter and my hands began to shake again. All of the painful memories and mistakes I’ve made come back to me when I was stuck in the tower, alone and afraid. More tears started to flow down.

“I don’t want to lose anyone again…” I whispered, not being able to stop my sudden breakdown again. 

Instantly, I could feel my mother’s arm around me, holding me close. Hearing her soft heart beating made me calmer as if nothing else in the world mattered at this point. 

But he still mattered to me. As much as I hate to admit it, Nick was right. I'm supposed to learn more about how to protect myself with a sword. Nevertheless, I was afraid to let that anger out again. I knew how I was on the ship back then, it terrified me that I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t a violent person.

He saw how I got, though. And he was upset, because of how I acted. The sudden realization made me have to break down in tears again, My mother held me close to her, gently stroking my head and humming me a soft tune. I needed this, I really did. After all of those lonesome years in that tower, this was what I needed all along, Even though I did wish Nick was the one who held me but beggars can't be choosers. 


	5. Chapter 5

_(Nick's POV)_  

It was a good choice to follow the King to the cabinet, where it was much quieter. But my mind was still on fire, mixed with the flames of confusion and anger. As much as I tried to stay calm, it felt as if my headache was a ticking time bomb. _How ironic,_ I thought, placing my hand on my chest, remembering that bomb was still implanted there. Shaking my head, I took a deep breath to not let my fear cover me.

Once we made it into the room, I tried to focus on what was around me, the books and materials. I just needed to let my brain cool down. 

As I saw Aleksander turn to me, all of my nerves fired through my body. Why was I so afraid? What was going to happen?

“Nick, relax. I’m not mad at you. Take a seat.” he told me, gesturing towards the elegant leather chair nearby.

Filling my chest with air slowly, I took a seat as I exhaled and tried to relax as my mind was still running along with my heart pounding in its cage. I couldn’t feel that my hands were shaking until he gently placed his own on mine, to calm me down even more. I slowly glanced up at him with worry still on my face.

Now I was embarrassed by how afraid I was really becoming. Why all of these emotions so suddenly?

He slowly sat down, still looking over at me as silence filled the room. I tried to clear my mind to form an apology.

“Sir, I’m sorry.. for… I-..” I couldn’t talk, the words were getting caught up in my throat. 

But I noticed his hand on top of mine, holding it gently, making me more at ease.

“None of this is your fault. Neither is it Jake’s.” He said in a serene tone before pausing. I patiently waited, but anxious to hear what he had to say.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my son like this. But I’m sure his symptoms have changed drastically since he left.” Aleksander began to say. My brows moved forward with confusion.

“Symptoms?” I asked, not understanding what he was getting at. 

He sighed deeply and got up, walking over to a desk nearby. My eyes followed with curiosity. Watching him, he opened up one of the drawers, rummaging through some of the papers that were placed in there. Once he pulled out a piece of old paper that was still neatly formed, he walked over to me with sorrow eyes. My curiosity grew as my eyes glanced over at the piece of paper.

Delicately, I reached over and looked at the paper thoroughly. The ink was written all in cursive, hard to read for even me, but one word stood out. “Mania” was written in a bolder color. My eyes narrowed in confusion before they moved higher on the page. 

_Jake Sullivan. Birthdate: December 14th, 1450. Child of Aleksander and Kelsey Sullivan. Heir to the throne, Prince of Cardiff._ (I’m not good with age or timelines, but this date seemed to be the closest.)

There were other words that stood out that I began to recognize. Such as “drastic mood change”, “sudden depressive episodes”, “Hypomania”. I slowly glanced up at the king wanting an explanation. He sighed as if he knew that I wouldn’t understand.

“At a very young age, Jake started to become more… difficult to handle the way he was showing his emotions. They seemed to change every day at arbitrary. In the morning, he would be glad to be around company, but about an hour into it, he would get very upset in a destructive way. This wasn’t like any tantrum, this was more violent. The moment he would scream loudly, the rooms would shake as if an earthquake went through the castle.” he explained. 

This made me think back to when I first encountered that witch and how Jake erupted. I was so confused and angry at him, just like I was right now. The guilt was piling up inside of me. 

“You’ve seen it then,” he asked, I nodding confining the truth.

“I was so confused when I saw what he could do, but anger took over and I…” my teeth bit my lip nervously, afraid of what to say to the King of all people.

“… I walked away from him.” I was ashamed to admit it, now knowing that my prince was surfing then.

A soft touch was on my shoulder, bringing my eyes up to his again.

“Don’t blame yourself. Everyone had trouble adjusting to how he was, even himself,” he told, looking into my eyes as if he was forgiving me.

But hearing this about Jake, the one person who taught me how to love again, now knowing that he’d suffer as much as I did felt as if I was also the cause of his suffering, which was the opposite that I’ve wanted to do for him. I stood up abruptly, feeling like I was going to break something to release the anger I was keeping towards myself. 

The king stood up as well, watching me with caution.

“Nick, please. Don’t-..” he began to say but I had the nerve to interrupt. 

“…blame myself?!” I knew how to finish his sentence. “I’m sorry sir but I was supposed to take care of the person I love, not treat them like they mean nothing to me like I did to Jake! I know that I didn’t understand then but knowing the truth now makes me feel more like a jerk to him! I was supposed to protect him, not scare him!” 

My breathing was becoming rapid, just like my heart. ‘Not good Nick, you need to calm down.’

“I understand your anger, Nick. Kelsey and I both felt it when we had to send him away to the tower.” the king reassured me.

My entire body froze, not from the reassurance, but because of what he just said. Suddenly, for a second, the volcano that was boiling up in my mind erupted as I strutted right up towards the king as if I knew my place right now.

“So he wasn’t kidnapped?! Are you out of your minds?!” I roared at him, making my anger control myself. _Now, who’s the hypocrite?_

Just as a king should be, Aleksander stood his ground by holding up his guard. I had to admit, that worried me some but I was still filled with rage. 

“Nick, I don’t think you truly realize what we were up against at that moment. The only option  was to send him away, for his own protection,” he announced firmly. But my eyes still glared at him, upset by his stupid decision.

As much as I wanted my anger to go away, I knew that there was no point no. I balled up my fists as my breathing became heavier.

“So you sent him away with a crazy witch who just used his power for distraction, manipulating him?!” I questioned his royal majesty. I knew that I was not acting right but I didn’t care at this point. I just wanted answers. 

King Aleksander took a deep breath before he started another monologue. I tried my best not to roll my eyes.

“His ‘caretaker’ was there to train him since we heard that she knew what he was becoming. So with no other choice, we sent them away, to protect ourselves and the kingdom.” he continued to explain, but I just couldn’t listen to this nonsense anymore.

I had to roll my eyes this time and stepped away, trying to re-clear my head that was too filled up with these lies. My hands went over my face and through my hair as I tried to calm down, even though I knew that I couldn’t at this point.

“Any more questions?” the king asked, watching me carefully as if I were to kill him any minute.

That thought crossed my mind once or twice right then but that would be suicide. Just like that damn quest I went on. Giving him a hard glare, I showed him with my eyes that I wasn’t stupid.

“There was always a reason why I hated you royal bastards,” I told him, not caring how I said it.

With that, I turned and walked out of that claustrophobic room, leaving that selfish king with his own thoughts. Min were all gone, with only one remaining. 

Why did I sign up for this in the first place?


	6. Chapter 6

_ (Jake’s POV)  _

That next morning, all I wanted to do was stay in my bed. I didn’t feel like myself, I was upset about my behavior towards Nick yesterday. If only we could just forget about it, so he could hold me close in his arms, telling me everything. What happened to that? 

Then I remembered how I was, what I looked like yesterday. I was embarrassed. But my heart kept telling me to go to my knight, even though my mind told me no. Regardless, I know that I need him, to hold and comfort me.

Ever so slowly, I got out of bed and stood up, with my legs shaking. Taking a deep breath to relax, I tried to steadily walk over to my door, holding my blanket close to me. I didn’t bother getting change, these clothes were too comfortable in my state. 

As I walked through the hallways and down the stairs, I didn’t notice the servants walking pass me. All of my focus, of what was left was towards Nick. I had to talk to him, the guilt was piling up inside. Being careful enough, I made my way outside towards the stables where I stopped Nick instantly. My nerves shot through my body, up my spine. I didn’t know why I was so nervous again. Maybe because I didn’t know how he was going to be ever since yesterday. 

Automatically, my feet began to walk towards him without me realizing how easy it was. Before I knew it I met up with his eyes, seeing their intensity. I gasped slightly, not prepared to comfort him yet. 

“How’re you doing?” he asked me, not in a harsh tone to my surprise. 

I swallowed my anxiety that was still in my system, trying to be calm in front of my boyfriend.

“I’m…okay.” I was becoming so scared that my voice was cracking again.

I expected him to say something but as I watched him, he remained silent, putting me more on edge. His eyes looked at me deeply, as if he was trying to read what my emotions were showing. But he shook his head and with a sigh, turned away. 

“I hope you learned from your actions yesterday,” he told me, which suddenly popped a nerve. 

_‘That’s all he had to say?!’_ my mind was not pleased. All of a sudden I could feel the flame begin to start in my blood.

Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly to keep calm.

“I’m sorry, okay? It wasn’t my fault that you interrupted.” I didn’t mean to sound rude, I couldn’t help but get upset. 

He shot me a look as if it was my fault in the first place. How dare he!

But the other thought came back to me.

This was really my fault, wasn’t it? I shook my head to get rid of that thought. 

When my eyes went back to him, they were already filling up with water. I didn’t want this to happen. But seeing the rage in his eyes brought me back down.

“My fault?! Jake, do you realize how selfish you were being?! That can get you killed if it was a real fight!” he scolded me as if I were a child. But I wasn’t, I was a prince.

The loudness scared me though, wanting to cry again. Why was it my fault? Why was everything my fault? Tears started to flow down my face.

I faintly heard his deep sigh and once I saw him start to walk away, my hear was tearing apart. 

“But I didn’t want to fight! That’s why I have you!” I said without realizing how selfish I was becoming. 

The flames in his eyes burned up immediately as he strutted right towards me. A small scream escaped from my mouth by accident.

I expected a hard hit against me. But when I opened my eyes again, mother was standing in front of me, facing Nick with determination as she held his wrist firmly tight above. So much fear was filled with my body that I couldn’t move. 

“Don’t _ever_ , on this land, strike at my son, your prince who _you_ should be protecting! Do you understand knight?” she told him with a strong tone. She was upset, which wasn’t a good sign.

But Nick wasn’t phased by her control, they shared a deep glare with each other for awhile. I was still terrified of what could happen. I never would’ve imagined Nick doing something like this to me. It’s as if he was changing right before my eyes. I gasped as I watched my love pull back to get out of her grip and started to walk away from us with a bold step. Realizing where he was going once I saw him open up the stable for once of the horses, I tried my best to run to him but mother caught me in her arms. 

The tears were now streaming down my face as I watched my knight in shining armor walk away from me. He told me he would never leave me, so why would he lie to me like this? 


	7. Chapter 7

_ (Nick’s POV) _

I was done being nice, done being with royalty. I was never supposed to be among them. Why did I go on that damn quest in the first place? Why did I have to fall in love with the prince, of all people! Why was this bomb implanted into me?

All of these questions kept piling up in my already flamed mind, disintegrating them. I gently placed my hand on my chest, where I heard my heart pound. Why hasn’t it timed out yet?! It’s been roughly two years already. How much more suffering do I need?!

Tears started to swell up in my eyes but I dared them not to leave, like what I’ve done to Jake.

_‘You really fucking did that, didn’t you? You fool!’_ I told myself, already feeling one tear fall on my rage burning face. I had to take a deep breath to calm down my fury. 

As I tried to relax, I glanced around noticing that we have entered a gloomy forest. This unnatural feeling brought chills up my spine so I had to be on my guard. Slowly, my horse continued walking through the eeriness, but I could sense that even they were on a nerve. Darkness began to surround us fairly quickly. But what confused me was the smoke that started to appear from below. My horse was getting more nervous as I was, but I tried to settle them down. But what really got us was a sudden gush of wind. So hard that it flung me off of the horse as they stood up from fear. 

After I hit the ground and tried to look up, my vision was becoming blurry already. But what caught my eye was the figure coming closer towards me. Abruptly, I tried to get up, struggling a little with the impact and held my sword tightly in my hand. My heart was pounding deeper in my chest, from fear I suppose.

Once I recognized the figure though, that’s when I knew that I was truly terrified. 

“Missed me?” the Shadow asked, with the same smirk on his face.

The flames that I’ve tried to cool down just moments before began to explode in my entire body. Without realizing it, I charged right towards the enemy who killed my best friend. But his smirk stayed on his face as if nothing could get in his way.

Was I a fool to think that I could stop this monster again? 

My answer came quickly once I saw complete darkness

—————————————————————————————

_ (Jake’s POV)  _

He was gone, and I was never going to see him again. My knight in shining armor, my rescuer. the one who stole my heart was gone forever and it was all of my fault. My mom continued to tell me that it wasn’t but I could still feel the guilt deep down.

As she resumed to comfort me, I stared out the window, watching the dark clouds and raindrops pour, feeling it’s sadness.

“You still miss him don’t you?” she asked me, noticing my sorrow.

I tried not to give in but I had no choice, she knew it by now already. Slowly looking up at her, I nodded.

“I love him. He’s still the knight who saved me from that tower.” I told her, feeling the tears already fill up in my eyes.

Once she saw those tears, she held me close in her arms again. A sudden shock of thunder came flashing by the window, making me yelp and huddle closer to my mother for protection. Since my knight was gone, she was the next best person. She stroked my hair just like before, which helped me calm down for a moment.

I was so rude to him when all he was trying to do was to help me practice. Why did I have to be so mean? What happened to me all of a sudden? Why so many emotions all at once?

The tears began to stream down my face once again. I was tired of them, making me look so weak when I know that I’m not. ‘I don’t want to be a coward prince!’ I told myself but the tears kept coming that I had to bury my face. Luckily my mom was still with me, holding me tight, not wanting to let go of me.

As I tried to clear my head from my emotions, I could hear faint running towards us.

“My Queen!” I followed my mother’s gaze towards the guards, who were kneeling before us.

She lifted her hand up, indicating that they could stand, which they did slowly.

“We found Sir Knight Nicholas badly injured in the forest as we were patrolling the area,” he reported.

My eyes widen immediately as soon as I heard his name, making me shot up from my seat. 

“Is he here?! Where is my knight?!” I asked them, almost in a cry.

The guards were surprised, glancing over at my mother for her approval. She nodded slowly at him.

“He’s in the medic room, resting-…” the guard informed but before he said anything else, I was already running down the hallway and turned sharply towards the room.

My heart was pounding as my feet continued to run. Was he okay? Was he dead? Please, God, make sure he wasn’t dead. I sent out a small prayer in my mind before getting to the medic room.

Once I got there, I was shaking from anticipation and worry of what to see. Already feeling more tears fall down my face, I took a deep breath to hopefully calm down before nervously opening the door. Peaking my head through, my breathing was shaking from fear, worried of what I was going to see. As my eyes gradually scanned the room, my heartbeat sped up. The moment my eyes spotted him, my heart dropped instantly.

Rushing to his side, I positioned myself right next to him, grabbing his hand for comfort. One of the nurses walked nearby and I glanced up at her, pleading for an explanation. But as she began to talk, my mind automatically tuned her out and focused on my knight. 

Studying his features, I noticed how badly injured he was, making my heart ache. A slash across his face, cutting his eyebrow and bottom lip, a buried eye and blood marks on his head. But what really shocked me was the deep claw marks on his neck. My eyes narrowed in confusion. _‘Claw marks?’_ But then I remembered, now making my eyes widen. Holding my knight’s hand tighter, I slowly laid my head down on his side as I cried slowly.

“Please Nick, please be okay. I don’t want to lose you again, I can’t risk that. I need you.” I whispered to my love, praying that he’ll wake up soon. 


	8. Chapter 8

_ (Nick’s POV) _

Was I finally dead? Did the Devil finish his work for me? Darkness came so quickly that I didn’t see my past events. Maybe because there was nothing to see, that’s how my life was supposed to be. No happy ending.

But ever so slightly I could feel a touch nearby. Something was holding my hand. No, someone, I felt their movement. As I tried to open my eyes, my head started to pound deeply. _‘Of course, it had to now…’_ I told myself.

Opening my eyes ever so slowly, I started to see clear white but there was something else above me. My mother angel?

“Nick? Nick?! Can you hear me?” the voice called out but in a soothing way. 

Once my vision becomes more clear, I saw his pleading eyes again, making my heart suddenly full again. His eyes grew with delight, even though there were still tears rolling down his face. 

I was quickly embraced in Jake’s arms. And surprisingly, I just had to hug him back. 

“I’m so glad that you’re still alive.” he cried into my chest. I could feel the wetness of his tears.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…” his breathing was so choppy from his crying. So I just held him to let him calm down.

Once his breathing became more at ease, he looked at me with those emotional eyes again and this time, the guilt was crushing my heart. Even though just raising my hand towards his face was painful enough, I brought his lips towards mine. He immediately kissed back, making me feel more alive already.

My mind was right, I was a damn fool for leaving him. He was my prince who I needed to protect, he gave me a real purpose in life. We released slowly and relaxed for a moment, giving each other a breather. 

But as I stared at him again, as if it was the first time when I flew into his window, my heart was at ease, just like before.

“Jake.” my voice was dry, but that didn’t matter to me at this point.

My prince glanced over at me after whipping his tears away, even though they were still falling. I but my lip and sighed deeply, glancing away.

“I’m the one who should be sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you when you just needed me. I was a fool for running away. I’m sorry.” my voice was already cracking from the guilt. I could even feel a tear roll down my face.

He slowly turned my head towards his face and gently kissed my bruised cheek as an apology I assume. But once I looked at him with a reassuring smile, it quickly disappeared as he smacked my already damaged shoulder. 

“But don’t you ever leave me like that again! You scared me half to death!” he yelled, hitting my sore spot again and again.

“Ow! Okay okay, I promise I won’t!” I told him, trying to block his hits. They especially hurt my wounds. 

Once the hitting stopped, he gave me an angry look just like his mother gave me before. _‘Yup, definitely see a similarity. Making a mental note on not to make them upset ever again.’_ I reminded myself.

Embarrassingly, I gave an apologetic look to my prince, who definitely forgave me by giving me another kiss on the cheek. I had to admit, I missed him like this.

———————————————————————————————

It took me awhile to get most of my strength back to be able to move. But Jake stayed with me the whole time, just like I should’ve when he was upset. We talked about what happened, trying to clear it up. I told him about the meeting I had with his father and about the document he showed me. It made sense to Jake now, why he’s been feeling all of his emotions at once. Being locked up for many years, alone can make a person crazy. But Jake wasn’t crazy, he was just trying to adapt to his new life.

That reminded me of when I saved him, he was truly so grateful and I declined it at first. Now, look where we were at. Never in my life would I have thought to be with The Prince of Cardiff. But a sudden realization came back into my mind as Jake was retelling the stories of our adventures.

The Shadow was back and he was definitely more powerful. Was this was my nightmares were telling me about?

_“Listen to them carefully…”_ she told me.

My eyes widen as I sat up straight but my muscles were still incredibly stiff, making my body ache more and I groaned in pain.

“Nick, please be careful!” Jake worriedly advised as my breathing became heavier. 

As I tried to relax, I glanced up at him.

“Jake, I have to tell your parents something very important. Where are they?” I asked him, a calmer tone.

“They’re in the throne room,” he answered, looking slightly nervous.

Holding his hand tightly, he helped me slowly get out of the bed. As I landed on my feet, shock waves zapped through my entire body, making me weak instantly. Luckily Jake was there to hold me as I tried to get my balance back. 

I slowly glanced up at him, catching my breath.

“Are you okay?” he asked, just like before. The corners of my mouth curled up.

“I am now, thank you,” I replied softly. He smiled back, making my heart warm up again.

———————————————————————————-

It took us awhile to get to the throne room, especially with my injuries. I was so thankful for my prince, who was by my side the whole time. As we entered the room, anxiety re-entered my system. I knew they were still upset with me, but I tried not to think about the consequences. Just the message that I had to tell them.

Glancing up, I saw those dagger eyes of both the King and Queen.

“Why have you come back knight?!” he asked, his anger echoed through the room.

I took a deep breath to calm down my nerves before starting my apology.

“Your Majesties, my decision to leave was not the best choice. I know that I have lost your trust but I promise you, I will continue my job in protecting your son with my life.” my speech was not very convincing. I felt embarrassed by my foolishness. 

I watched them carefully as they looked at each there as if they were communicating with their minds. My breathing became shaky with the anticipation. Jake was still holding me, also feeling nervous.

“Mother, father, please hear me when I saw that I trust Nick with all of my heart as my protector. He saved me from that tower. The one where you sent me away to!” he was frustrated with their decision. 

That was not a good thing for him to say because Aleksander immediately shot his eyes straight at me. No used getting their trust back now.

He slowly rose from his throne, staring at me like a hawk. I swallowed my anxiety down quickly, preparing myself for what's to come next. But what did happen was what my worst fear coming true. 

“Nicholas, I will not tolerate this any longer!” The King began to say before a black smoke formed around us.

Jake was frightened right from the start, wrapping his arms around me and I held him very close because I knew what was happening as well. The King and Queen though, they were confused but also alerted.

“Oh dear, have I interrupted an important family meeting?” a dark echo called out softly. The guards nearby were ready to attack the figure’s voice.

The smoke formed right in front of Jake and I. Before either of us could blink, he appeared. That damn smirk was still on his face. I stared into his eyes, feeling the terror in my heart as it pounded intensely.

“I’ll be taking this,” he growled and with a snap of his fingers, the black smoke filled the entire room.

There were coughs from every direction and once the smoke cleared, he was gone.

As I came back to my senses, my heart immediately dropped while my widen eyes glanced around the room. 

Jake… Where was Jake?!

My heart continued to speed up, realizing that my fear was becoming a reality.

Before I could even move, I was quickly haled forward in front of the King, who was extremely enraged at this point. 

“What have you done with my son?! Where is he?!” he yelled at me. 

Still too frightened to argue, I just put my hands up defensively. 

“Sir, I swear this wasn’t my fault!” I tried defending, not very confidently though since my nerves were still high in my system.

The guards came by quickly, pointing their weapons straight at me, making me more nervous. My heart rate was going too fast for me to focus what was happening. Just seeing those fearful eyes of his was the only image in my head. I felt a sudden push, making me fall to my knees. My hands were still shaking immensely as I tried to hold my body up. As I glanced up, my eyes widen to see the king swing his sword up high.

_‘How was this my fault?!’_ I thought to myself before shutting my eyes closed. Luckily the King stopped himself, or rather his Queen did.

“Aleksander!” she yelled quite loudly, making all of the heads turn towards her. 

When I thought she was made before, I was dead wrong. 

She strutted right towards us and looked directly at her King.

“Do you honestly think that this is a good idea right now, after what just happened to our son?!” she strictly told him.

Everyone stared at her with shock. Slowly Aleksander lowered his weapon as he kept eye contact with her. As she stepped forward towards me, the guards stepped back. She reached her hand out for me to grab, but I still looked up at her for her approval, which she granted with a nod. Gradually, I nervously grabbed her hand and was lifted to my feet. My body was still shaking with fear, that’s why I didn’t dare glance at the King, knowing what terms we were on now.

Once everyone was relaxed, the Queen and King glanced over at me with a suspicious look.

“Nicholas.” Kelsey’s voice was calmer this time, making me less afraid to come forth.

I looked up at her with dishearten eyes, showing them the truth.

“What happened to our son?” she asked me as if I knew the answer. 

But I did, this was what my Angel warned me about.

Taking a breather to calm down my anxiety, I turned to them with prepared emotions, straightening up my stance. 

But something in my chest clicked, making my heart throb intensely. That unforgotten pain came back to me. Since I was so weak already, my body game out immediately, and the darkness returned to me. 


	9. (Author's note)

(( So, I know that I haven't updated this in awhile and I'm really sorry. I've wanted to continue this story but I've had major writer's block for many weeks. Eventually, when I finally had the inspiration to continue,  I knew exactly how to and wrote it all down in a notebook..... but since then, I have lost the notebook that I was writing this story in. I'm sure I can find it somewhere but for now, I'm probably not going to continue writing this story.  I'm really sorry, I'm honestly really disappointed in myself. I'm going to continue to try to find it but until then, this story might be on hold... 

I had this really good couple of finale chapters that I was going to write, so I wrote down notes for them on paper, which I have lost as well. I'm really upset... But hopefully, I can continue and finally finish this story. 

But like I said, until then, this story will be on hold... Please be patient. Thank you for understanding. I know that I've tried to hype up this series and I hope you all like it so far. ))


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